Kombucha: Health Elixir or Marketing Miracle?

If I had the honor of granting the 2017 food-trend award, it would go to kombucha. I will admit, I drink at least one every day for its fizzy and tangy delicious flavors, such as rose, Pinot Sage, and Strawberry Serenity. With nearly 9 million search results on Google and just over 3,500 products with the word “kombucha” on Amazon, I think the brew is at the pinnacle of its fame. There are now countless brands, flavor combinations, and articles published on this proclaimed “superfood,” but just what is it? And more importantly, does it come with any scientific evidence to support its broadcasted benefits?

A Brief ‘Bucha History

Kombucha is thought to have originated in China, nearly 2,000 years ago, during the Tsin Dynasty. This “tea of immortality,” was named “kombucha” in Japan after a physician named Kombu, and “cha” meaning tea. From Japan, the tea traveled to Germany, Denmark, Poland, and Prussia, and it was in Germany that a doctor used kombucha to treat patients with cancer and high blood pressure.

What is Kombucha?

Kombucha is started with a SCOBY, which stands for “symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast.” The bacteria in the SCOBY all depend on one another to survive. Depending on the brand of kombucha, every SCOBY contains different bacteria and yeast strains. The SCOBY needs sweetened black tea to thrive and create the kombucha, and through “eating” the sugar and tea, it also creates a baby SCOBY. The product of the process is carbon dioxide, bacteria, yeast, trace alcohol from the fermentation, and some B vitamins.

Why is Kombucha Often Considered a “Health Food?”

There are health-claims abundant when researching and reading about kombucha. It gets its “health food” status from the small amounts of vitamins and probiotics, which are healthy bacteria which survive in our gut and are believed to support our immune system. According to the National Institute of Health, some probiotics have been show to help prevent infection-induced diarrhea, and help with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) symptoms; however studies are inconclusive.

The nutrition content of kombucha varies; not all kombucha has the same vitamin and mineral profile, so the health benefits in one brand may be different from another. Below is the breakdown of the nutrition contents of one popular brand, G.T.’s. This is for one 16 ounce bottle of the original-flavored kombucha. This particular kombucha provides about 25-30% of the recommended daily allowance for folate, and vitamins B 1,2,3,6, and half of the RDA of B12.

Calories: 60

Sodium: 20 mg

Carbohydrates: 14 g

Sugar: 4 g

Folate: 100 mcg

Vitamin B1: .3 mg

Vitamin B2: .34 g

Vitamin B3: 4 mg

Vitamin B6: .4 mg

Vitamin B12: 1.2 mcg

Recommended Daily Allowances for males and females (not pregnant), age 31-50:

Folate: Males and females: 400 mcg/day

Vitamin B1: Males: 1.2 mg/day, Females: 1.1 mg/day

Vitamin B2: Males is 1.3 mg/day, Females 1.1 mg/day

Vitamin B3: Males is 16mg/day, Females 14 mg/day

Vitamin B6: Males is 1.3 mg/day, Females 1.3 mg/day

Vitamin B12: Males and females is 2.4 mcg/day

The Claims

Kombucha often receives glowing reviews and recommendations. An article published on the website healthline.com claims the brew can kill bacteria, reduce heart disease risk, may help manage type 2 diabetes, and protect against cancer. On their website, Marin Kombucha states, “Detoxifying probiotics and antioxidants help immunity by optimizing healthy gut flora, easing the burden on the liver, and may be a useful tool against inflammation, obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.” Unfortunately they do not link to any scientific data to support their claims. Another article, “7 Reasons to Drink Kombucha Every Day,” Dr. Josh Axe says kombucha can help prevent diseases; however he does not list which ones. He also states it can protect the lungs, improve gut health and mental health, can help in the management of diabetes, help maintain a healthy liver, and it is also beneficial to the cardiovascular system.

The Research: It’s All Over the Map

In doing a search on PubMed.gov, 91 articles with the word “kombucha” have been published, and none being clinical trials. So far, no studies have been performed on humans. In the past 5 years, 8 studies have been published, claiming kombucha may protect against oxidative stress, may provide anti-bacterial action against specific pathogens, may be protective against metabolic disorders, but it also may cause liver damage. In one article published in 2014 in the Journal of Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety, researchers conclude kombucha’s protective properties are the same as those found in black tea, but more research is needed. According to the Mayo Clinic, claims kombucha can help manage serious health conditions as well as improve immunity still needs “valid medical studies” and “kombucha tea’s role in human health is very limited.”

Safety and Health Concerns

Many people brew their own kombucha at home, leaving much room for error due to an unregulated and possibly unsanitary environment. According to Examine.com, sanitation and too long of a fermentation period can be toxic and can even result in death. Commercially produced kombucha is regulated by the government because it does contain alcohol from the fermentation process. Those suffering from alcoholism may consider not consuming kombucha. Those with irritable bowel syndrome and issues with diarrhea may also need to monitor their intake due to some kombucha containing caffeine, as caffeine may aggravate symptoms.

The Verdict

There is still much research to be done on kombucha and its effectiveness in preventing diseases and protecting the body. Through the reading and researching, regardless of the claims, one fact became clear: Kombucha’s rave reviews are a result of clever and robust marketing without research and science to back them up. Yes, kombucha does provide a small amount of vitamins, minerals and probiotics, but there is no evidence kombucha has all of the super powers it is touted to have. We can get the same nutrients from eating fresh vegetables, fruits, and unprocessed foods, and from taking a probiotic supplement or eating other fermented foods, without the added sugar and alcohol.

Bottom line: Drink it because you enjoy it, not for its health benefits until more conclusive research is completed.

References

Bhattacharya, D., Bhattacharya, S., Patra, M. M., Chakravorty, S., Sarkar, S., Chakraborty, W., . . . Gachhui, R. (2016, September 16). Antibacterial Activity of Polyphenolic Fraction of Kombucha Against Enteric Bacterial Pathogens. Retrieved August 31, 2017, from https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00284-016-1136-3

Gedela, M., Potu, K. C., Gali, V. L., Alyamany, K., & Jha, L. K. (2016, January). A Case of Hepatotoxicity Related to Kombucha Tea Consumption. Retrieved August 31, 2017, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26882579

Gramza-Michałowska, A., Kulczyński, B., Xindi, Y., & Gumienna, M. (2016). Research on the effect of culture time on the kombucha tea beverage’s antiradical capacity and sensory value [Abstract]. Acta Scientiarum Polonorum Technologia Alimentaria,15(4), 447-457. Accessed on August 31, 2017 from from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28071022 doi:10.17306/j.afs.2016.4.43

The Kombucha Culture. (n.d.). Retrieved August 31, 2017, from http://www.seedsofhealth.co.uk/fermenting/kombucha.shtml

Nelms, M., Lacey, K., & Sucher, K. (2015). Nutrition Therapy and Pathophysiology (3rd ed.). Boston, MA: Cengage Learning.

Organic Raw Kombucha Original - G.T.'s - 8 fl. oz (240 mL). (n.d.). Retrieved August 31, 2017, from https://world.openfoodfacts.org/product/0722430400167/organic-raw-kombucha-original-g-t-s

Probiotics: In Depth. (2017, January 16). Retrieved August 31, 2017, from https://nccih.nih.gov/health/probiotics/introduction.htm

Vázquez-Cabral, B., Larrosa-Pérez, M., Gallegos-Infante, J., Moreno-Jiménez, M., González-Laredo, R., Rutiaga-Quiñones, J., . . . Rocha-Guzmán, N. (2017). Oak kombucha protects against oxidative stress and inflammatory processes [Abstract]. Chemico-Biological Interactions,272, 1-9. Accessed on august 31, 2017 from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28476604. doi:10.1016/j.cbi.2017.05.001

Vīna, I., Semjonovs, P., Linde, R., & Deniņa, I. (2014). Current Evidence on Physiological Activity and Expected Health Effects of Kombucha Fermented Beverage [Abstract]. Journal of Medicinal Food,17(2), 179-188. Accessed on August 31, 2017 from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24192111.

doi:10.1089/jmf.2013.0031

What's in My Kombucha? (2016, December 28). Retrieved August 31, 2017, from https://www.culturesforhealth.com/learn/kombucha/kombucha-bacteria-yeast/